Game apparatus.



PATBNTED SEPT. 5, 1905.

E. R. HOWARD.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED Nov. 25, 1904.

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GANlE APPARATUS.

Speeicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1905.

Application filed November 25, 1904. Serial No. 234,268.

Be it known that I, EUGENE R. I'Ljnvaup, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in (frame Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to game apparatus; and the object thereof is to construct an apparatus of such class to enable the playing' of a new and amusing shulile game.

The invention further aims to provide a game apparatus which shall be simple in its construction, amusing when used, strong, durable, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Vith the lfore,g i;oing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specitically described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

Yin the drawings,wherein like reference characters denote corresponding' parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. is a top plan. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2 and Fig. i is aperspective view of one of the playing-disks.

Referring' to the d rawings by reference characters, denotes the board upon which the game is played, said board 5 being' preferably rectangular in contour and of any length desired. The upper face of the board 5 has printed or otherwise placed thereon a transversely-extending line 6, which is placed at a point removed from one end of the board and which is termed the foul-line." 'lhe board 5 at a point removed from the other end thereot has a series of square pockets T, S, 9, 10, and 11, tive in number; but this number can be increased or diminished, as desired. The series of pockets are arranged in transverse alinement of the upper face of the board :3 and are separated by narrow partitions 12, 13, 11, and 15, the top edge of the partitions being flush with the upper face of the board Each of the pockets represents a certain value when playing the game, and, as shown, the pocket T has the value of "1," pocket 8 the value of 2, pocket 9, which is the ccntral pocket, the value of 3, the pocket 10 the value of 2, and the pocket 11 the value of l." These valuations can be changed, if desired; but preferably the central pocket is always of a greater value. The upper face of the board 5 is providedwithout any obstructions whatsoever and is smooth throughout, with the exception of that portion in which is formed the pockets.

The reference character 16 denotes one of the game-pieces, which is preferably in the form of a disk, and when playing the game each player has live disks. The disks 16 are adapted to be slid along the upper face of the board, and the object of sliding' the disks 16 is to cause the disks to enter the pockets or to straddle one of the partitions and overlap a pair of the pockets. The entering of the disks 1G in the pockets counts for the player, and the straddling of the disks upon the partitions also counts for the player. To prevent the disks 1G from sliding ofil the board 5, that end of the board which is provided with the pockets has secured thereto a rail 1T,and the sides ot' the board 5 have also secured thereto the rails 18. The rails 1T and 18 project above the upper face of the board so as to obtain a projecting ledge extending around the sides and one end of the board. It will be evident that when the disks 16 are slid upon the board 5 if during their travel they strike one of the rails they will be deflected.

The reference character 19 denotes two pairs of supports for the board, which are in the form of standards. Each pair of supports is hinged to the lower face of the board 5, as at Q0, so that the said supports 19 can be folded inwardly. The supports 19 are connected together by a crosspieee Q1, and said cross-pieces 21 are engaged by the notched ends of the spring member Q3, so as to retain the supports iu an upright position. The spring member 23 is secured to the lower face of the board 5, as at Qa.

lVhen the game is played, each player' has live disks 1G, the disks lo being adapted to be slid one at a time down the board 5, so as to engage in the pockets. 'lhe disks must be clear in the pockets to count. The sliding' of live disks constitutes one inning. Ten innings constitute the game; The person getting' the highest score is the winner. Should a disk stop on one of the partitions dividing the pair of pockets and be clear of the upper face of the board, it would count for the two pockets that it is above. Should a player get one disk in each pocket in one inning, ten

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points are added to his score. The player must release the disk before the foul-line 6 is reached, or else the disk will be lost. The disks of the player remain on the board during an inning and may be knocked in the pockets by the other disks of the player. Any number of persons can play at one time.

When the number of pockets is increased or decreased, the number of disks is increased or decreased. When the game is played, preferably powdered talc is rubbed upon the upper face of the board, so as to facilitate the movement of the disks.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by The combination with a game-board having' a foul-line upon the upper face near one end thereof and a series of pockets substantially square in contour at a point removed from the other end of said board, said pockets arranged in parallelism with respect to each other and extending transversely from one side of the upper 'face of the board to the other side thereof and separated by narrow partitions flush with the upper surface of the board, game-pieces slidalole on said board and adapted to straddle the partitions so as to overlap the pockets, and rails secured to the sides and one end of said board.

In testimony whereoic I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE R. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

C. Mo'rz, W. W. WooDoooK. 

